Michael Moore’s record-breaking documentary “Fahrenheit 9/11” has been the focus of a steady stream of controversy. This movie is poignant, enraging and entertaining, all at the same time, Michael Moore at his best. It allows us to see past a lot of pro-American propaganda to the behind-the-scenes reality of our government at work.In response to the tragedy of 9/11, US troops were sent to invade Iraq, a country that had no weapons of mass destruction, no ties to Osama Bin Laden, and had done nothing to terrorize us. This was touted by our government as the beginning of our fight in the war against terrorism.
Yet according to intelligence and counterterrorism professionals, the invasion of Iraq not only failed to help the war on terrorism, it represented a substantial setback.
So now that this war is over, what is our next move in the fight against terrorism? George Bush has declared himself a war president. Doesn’t that make the US a war nation? We’ve witnessed the Middle Eastern Countries live in a battle zone for as long as we can remember. Is that really where we want to be? Will our government also declare the next war a victory despite thousands dead and billions spent?
We need to be aware of the decisions our leaders are making, the rationale behind them, and their likely effect on us, the average citizen. Criticism aside, “Fahrenheit 9/11” is a laudable vehicle for raising the questions too often unasked by a society that has perhaps taken for granted that Democracy means justice, and that the good of the people is for our leaders a core concern.